Open sores

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Egypt stands at the crossroads. The unfortunate sectarian violence that erupted over the weekend in Alexandria, Egypts second-largest city, came as no surprise to keen observers of the state of the nation. The incident has forced people throughout the country to pause for a moment and reflect.

Much of the Coptic Christian community is seething with rage and frustration. They believe that they are politically marginalised and discriminated against. Many feel that security forces were not doing enough to defend them. The nations' Muslim majority is also frustrated; some even believe that security forces favour Copts at the Muslims' expense.

Everyone, it seems, is angry and unhappy about the tension in the air. But for Muslims and Christians alike, it is poverty, social insecurity, joblessness among the young and political marginalisation that are driving feelings of oppression, and leading many to religious intolerance and zealotry.

Previous sectarian incidents -- including the violent protests in Muharrem Bey barely five months ago, which were catalysed by Muslim anger against a church performance of what was seen as an anti-Muslim play, reflect the growing restlessness among the Coptic community, and a pervading sense of frustration across the nation as a whole.

At the root of the sectarian violence are deteriorating economic conditions. The worst affected areas are the shantytowns and run-down areas where Muslims and Christians live in close contact, and occasionally vent their frustration on each other. In fact, accusing the other has become an easy alternative to facing the host of social and economic ills plaguing the nation.

For years, periodic outbursts of sectarian strife were fairly common in some parts of the countryside, and especially in the remote and outlying districts of rural southern Egypt. Today, these incidents seem to have become more common in the larger urban centres, and especially in Alexandria.

That's why the government must move fast to rectify the situation. Peace must prevail, and social justice must be secured. Without the latter, the unrest will go on. All the different segments of Egyptian society must feel that they have a stake in the country's future. They must share a strong sense of belonging to this nation. As such, Coptic Christians must not feel alienated or peripheralised on a social and political level.

With democratisation and political reform fast gaining momentum, the Egyptian people are becoming more outspoken and brazen in their demands for change. The media is also rapidly transforming. But with change comes responsibility. The government and civil society have a critical role to play in soothing tensions. The media, too, must handle this very sensitive and potentially explosive sectarian strife in a mature manner.

Now would be a great time to start. For one thing, we are right in the midst of the most sacred week in the Coptic Christian calendar, with Maundy Thursday being observed today and Coptic Easter taking place on Sunday. On Monday, the entire nation, Muslims and Christians alike, will celebrate Sham Al-Nessim, the ancient Egyptian spring festival. Moreover, this year it coincides with another national holiday, Sinai Liberation Day. This happy coincidence provides ample opportunity for national solidarity and celebration. It calls for the healing of sectarian wounds, and the discarding once and for all -- of religious bigotry, fanaticism and sectarian strife.